


Heartstrings

by Kidakins



Category: Kill la Kill (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Gen, Gore, Headcanon, My First AO3 Post, My First Fanfic, Other, Post-Canon, Self-Doubt, Self-Harm, Self-Indulgent, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:48:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23585626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kidakins/pseuds/Kidakins
Summary: I didn't like the ending of the Kill la Kill anime so I used some open/vague plot threads to make my own happy ending. Starts with some good ol' angst tho. Based after the end of the anime.Yes I ship a girl with her clothing.
Relationships: Matoi Ryuuko & Senketsu, Matoi Ryuuko/Senketsu
Comments: 13
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Contains spoilers for the entire Kill la Kill series, as well as themes of self-harm, talk of death, etc. Some graphic descriptions of gore stuff and explicit language as well. I don't know if I'll ever get around to doing straight up porn with this? But it might happen, idk. I don't know where I'm going with this because it's all just self-indulgent creative writing for me. First time writing fanfic so go easy on me if leaving constructive crit pls. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy. x

_ It's been almost two years. _

Crickets began to chirp as birds settled in for the night, landing in the higher branches of the forest to preen and prepare for sleep. A slight creaking of burnt wood sounded off as the ruins of the Matoi mansion settled from their recent disturbance. Ryuko was slowly cleaning the site by hand in her spare time during her summer vacations. It was much easier once she established her smaller self-made cottage nearby. As much as she loved family life with the Mankanshokus, it was always nice to get away to some summertime solitude.

Letting out a sigh of relief and wiping the sweat from her brow at the end of her workday, she tugged off her dusty shirt, water running into her outdoor bath. No peeping toms to be had way out in the wilderness, thankfully; just her and the birds, who were uninterested in her undressing. After stripping down, she winced lightly as she slowly submerged her legs, followed by the rest of her body. The water was a bit chilly, which was both startling yet comforting for her aching muscles.

The crickets seemed to grow louder, though it was only because they were the one noise piercing the otherwise silent evening. Ryuko's head lay against the side of her wooden tub as she looked up into the darkening sky. Hues of pink, purple, and orange were slowly fading into the deep blues of night. The stars were already bright and gleaming, more and more popping into sight as the sun descended. A red-tinted star came into view, glimmering against the dark backdrop.

_ They just remind me of him. _

Her neutral expression deepened to a frown. "There comes a time when a girl outgrows her sailor uniform," she mumbled, lifting a hand from the water to run through her black and red hair, rinsing the dust and soot from her locks. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, splashing her hand back into the water in frustration as she sunk lower, her hair becoming submerged. "You idiot."

Senketsu wasn't  _ just  _ a sailor uniform. He was Ryuko's closest friend, whom she loved dearly and could confide in and trust when things were at their worst. His parting words stung despite it being well over a year ago. She thought time would heal her wounds, but the thought of him clung to her brain despite all the cheerful distractions she now had in her life. Mako and her family, Satsuki, former Honnoji Academy students who were now her friends and colleagues. Why couldn't she just move on? Why was she  _ still  _ thinking about him?

The bath drained into the nearby grassy clearing as she dried off with a towel and slipped on a fresh set of underwear, forgoing a spare shirt. Being mostly nude in a private setting like her secluded home in the forest was oddly comforting, given her past experiences. She haphazardly shoved her dirt-covered garments into a smaller tub to wash later that night. Bringing her belongings inside and kicking the door shut, Ryuko let out a quiet, annoyed grumble. What was supposed to be a calming bath ended on a not-so-great note. She cast a glance out the window before treading into her small kitchen and deciding on a jerky snack with some juice to try and lighten her mood.

It didn't work, of course. She sat at her table for one, glaring at a blank section of wall as she tore chunks of jerky apart and chewed ruthlessly. A lantern affixed to the ceiling kept this area of the house lit comfortably, while the rest was growing fairly darker with the onset of night. The light from the lantern glimmered subtly off the red handles of her father's scissor blades, propped up against the wall in the next room over.

Once thought to be lost to the seas at the ruins of Honno City, they were recovered through cleanup efforts and gifted to her by Satsuki for one of Ryuko's "birthdays". While it was likely meant to be a kind, sentimental gesture of their first bonding moments -- standing up to their crazy, tyrannical mother together and the strength it took to overcome her influence -- in the end, it served as another painful reminder of her past experiences. Her father’s death, the truth about herself and her heritage… Meeting Senketsu.

_ Another reminder of him, _ she hissed mentally, swallowing a chunk of jerky that was just a tad too large. She coughed to clear the cursed piece of meat, took a swig of her juice to wash it back down after a bit more chewing, and growled to herself once more. Slamming her glass onto the table and rising from her seat forcefully, she made her way into the room with her scissor blades. She came stomping to a halt after flicking on another lamp to illuminate the room proper, glaring at the wall where her other ongoing summer project hung, her arms crossed and her expression thoroughly displeased.

There on the wall above a small dresser hung a very similar outfit to the one she donned almost two years ago. A jet black sailor uniform, with blood red accents and lapels, woven entirely of life fibers. With most of the world's life fibers being lost or destroyed in her final battle with Ragyo, it wasn't easy for Ryuko to gather enough to stitch together an entirely new Kamui. She enlisted the assistance of Shiro Iori, who taught her the intricacies of tailoring and helped her obtain the resources necessary to track down whatever life fibers were remaining planet-side, or even drifting in from space. It took quite a bit of time and patience, but through her characteristic determination, Ryuko eventually scavenged enough fibers to make a 100% life fiber uniform.

_ This is stupid, _ she thought to herself, looking over and deeply analyzing the clothing for any flaws or faults; anything that may be off, different, or result in the Kamui going haywire. Even with blood tests and wearing the outfit exactly as she once did, the new uniform was thoroughly inactive. It didn’t make sense, it was a damn near-perfect replication.  _ I shouldn't even be trying this hard. But where the hell did I go wrong? _

In this case, her cleaning of the Matoi mansion served as more than just a way to pass time. While it was cathartic to clean the land of her past traumas, and hopefully gain a space to build a proper home to call her own, she was also on the hunt for any surviving research of her father's. Anything that may have survived the fire, the passage of time afterwards, or the thorough cleansing by Mikisugi. After Nudist Beach disbanded, she was granted any information they had left from her father, but there wasn't much about Senketsu's creation that she didn't already know. She followed what information she did have to the letter, repairing and utilizing the machinery in her estate's basement, fleeting moments of desperation fueling her desire to get her dearest friend back.

"Instead I have this cheap fake hanging on my wall, not sassing me for being a complete dumbass!" She yelled, unfolding her arms to her sides with her hands balled up into fists, ready to get into a physical altercation with the inanimate clothing right then and there. Her eyes welled up ever so slightly, her gaze focused on the silent, stoic Kamui. If only Mako could see her now, years later, yelling at the uniform that no one else could hear.

_ Only now I can't hear him either. He's not even there. _

Ryuko slumped to the ground, gripping the rug beneath her as a tear rolled down her cheek and onto her bare chest. Her arms moved to wrap around her torso, letting out a shuddering sigh as her gaze focused on the fibers of her rug, the silence enveloping her. A rare moment of weakness, and she was glad no one was around to witness it. At the same time, she wished to have someone to confide with and find comfort in again. Satsuki wasn’t as close or available, since she was busy with her own life matters. Mako was a sweetheart, but she very rarely was one to have a serious heart-to-heart with. She’d always see the silver lining; Ryuko felt like there was none to find here.

“She’d just tell me he’s still with me again. In my heart,” she muttered, pressing a hand to her chest, as Mako would do to cheer her up in a conversation like this. “I swear I’d have heard him once or twice too, but… That just isn’t enough. I miss him. I want him here with me. You don't just 'outgrow' a friend.”

A long pause followed as she sat in silence, staring intensely at the ground, her thoughts racing in an attempt to sort themselves out. Her hand, still pressed to her warm breast, scratched lightly near her collarbone… Right where Senketsu’s eye would always come to rest. She closed her eyes, another tear falling onto her skin.  _ What am I missing? I know life fibers can be awoken again on an individual basis, Iori showed me his studies. It’s a Kamui that doesn’t wake up… What could it be lacking? _

A gust of wind rattled the nearby window, next to the propped up rending scissors. The sound jolted her from her intense train of thought, and she glanced over at the wall. The glint upon her blade seemed to waver, like a far-off signal…

Suddenly, an idea. A weird, crazy, possibly deadly idea, but an idea nonetheless. It didn’t necessarily make sense, but if her friends and her past had taught her anything, it’s that complete and utter nonsense was sometimes the best course of action for her to take.

Lifting herself from the floor and taking a deep breath, Ryuko stood and eyed her red scissor blades. After taking a few steps toward the weapon, she detached both blades from each other, taking her original half in hand. It had been a while since she bothered to handle the weapon, feeling the contours of the metallic, hardened life fibers in her palm. Reducing the size of the scissor half to that of an oversized dagger, she knelt back down on the soft rug and hesitantly held the point of the blade between her breasts, pressing the cold metal to her skin with a shudder.

Anyone that might have been watching would think she had finally lost it; after all, she was about to stab herself with her own weapon. Mako likely would have knocked herself out trying to stop her. But she shook the doubts from her mind rather quickly, breathing deeply again to calm herself.  _ It’s worth a shot, isn’t it? He’s in my heart after all,  _ she mused, stifling a laugh with a quiet snort.  _ Ridiculous. _

Pressing the tip down onto her skin firmly, drawing a small droplet of blood that ran down her torso, she winced. “Shit,” she hissed, pulling the blade away instinctively from the sting of pain. Watching the wound seal itself within seconds due to her life fiber body brought out a frustrated grumble. “Just do it, Matoi. Get this stupid idea out of your head. Rip it off like a bandage. This pain is nothing, you’ve been through worse,” her rambling to herself was an attempt to help calm her tumultuous thoughts. Most of those thoughts were begging her to reconsider.

_ Do it for him. _

And with that, the blade cut a few inches into her chest with a pained yelp, blood spilling from the wound as she twisted the blade to open the incision wider. Growling with frustration, she took a hand from the handle of the blade and fingered the bloody gash in her chest lightly. Another agonized gasp left her lips. “Fuck--” she cursed, cutting herself off with a yell as she plunged her hand into the open wound. Sweat dripped from her brow as she fumbled around inside her own chest, thoroughly pained and disturbed by this feeling. The last time she underwent this, at the hands of Ragyo, it was quite the traumatic experience that she never had the intention of reliving.  _ Yet here I am. _

Ryuko bit her tongue, desperate to keep her agony at bay. It had been a long while since she felt pain this intense, so any resistance she may have had was long gone. She felt the hard structure of her rib cage, slipping the fingers downward along her sternum and dipping beneath it to make her way to her heart. She closed her eyes, avoiding looking at the ugly sight of her hand tucked halfway into her own bleeding chest, sinking deeper as she explored. Coaxing her diaphragm and lungs aside with a raspy, shaken cough, she could tell she was getting closer to her target. The pumping walls of her now rapidly-beating heart brushed against her fingertips and she let out a whimper of both immense pain and relief. Almost there.

With a groan, her hand caressed, probed, and pinched the life-fiber heart; the hand holding the blade to her chest to keep the incision open started to shake. God it hurt. Finally, her exploratory fingers managed to pry a thicker thread loose from her heart. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed it tightly and pulled straight out from her wound. A pain-filled scream finally escaped her lips as the glowing red life fiber stretched from the gape in her chest to her blood-covered hand. With the blade still holding her chest open, she pulled the string as far as she could and lifted it, bringing it close to her face. Seeing as the scissor-half and her hands were both occupied, she only had one option to cut this thread.

Baring her teeth, she bit firmly onto the outstretched life fiber, her screams now muffled as she tugged roughly on the string, her canines desperately trying to sever the thread. Sharp static filled Matoi's mind, the pain growing worse and worse as she felt the threaded connection directly to her beating heart being strained, frayed, and pulled. Blood flowed freely down her front and onto the floor rug as she struggled to trim the life fiber in her hand and separate it from her body.

Finally, a snap. A spray and splatter of blood. A single lightning bolt of immense agony throughout her whole body. She flung her scissor blade away from her and collapsed onto the rug, taking heavy, deep breaths as she observed the glowing thread that was now in her tight clutches. She felt the remainder of the severed life fiber recede into her chest; her wound started to close, slower than before as she was weak from her battle with herself.

Shaking her head in a feeble attempt to delay a quickly oncoming blackout, Ryuko crawled forward and reached upwards to snatch the dormant Kamui from the wall, using the dresser below it for support. The bloody hand that wasn't gripping the life fiber -- the Banshi straight from her heart -- opened a drawer of the dresser and fumbled around until it procured a thick sewing needle. After a few failed attempts to thread the fiber through said needle, she finally managed to get it to cooperate. Her vision was fading, the edges of her sight going black; she had to work quickly.

With a shaking, bloodied hand, Ryuko did her best to weave the thread from her heart into the uniform, near the lapels. The glowing red thread seemed to fade as it connected and interfaced with the other life fibers within the Kamui. After about a minute of frantic, shaky sewing, the thread was used up and merged entirely within her handmade replica of Senketsu, sans the eye at the lapel, of course. She looked expectantly over the clothing, hoping for a sign or signal that her idea had worked. "Senketsu?" She whispered weakly.

But nothing happened.

She held on, hopeful for a delayed reaction, for as long as she could. But the exhaustion of her blood loss, pain-fueled struggle, and severing of a vital thread from her heart had caught up to her rather quickly. She collapsed onto the bloodied floor, the uniform held tightly in a hug as she lost consciousness.

The crickets continued their late-night chorus, maintaining their energy in the now-silent night.


	2. Chapter 2

As the sun began to rise and erase the dark, starry sky with shades of pink and lavender, forest creatures woke from their slumber. The chirping crickets of night were replaced by the soft songs of birds, who were stirring and looking to start their daily routines early. The sun slowly crawled up above the treeline, its rays shining through the gaps of the canopy and coming to rest on the wooden cottage nestled between the trees.

The curtains were drawn, staining whatever sunlight passing through them a reddish-pink color. As the light shone upon Ryuko's face, she began to stir in her slumber, mumbling to no one in particular to try and bargain for a few more minutes of rest.

Her eyes slowly blinked open, taking in the close-up view of rug fibers directly in her face, with backlit red curtains in the distance. Soreness radiated from her neck along her shoulders and upper arms, likely a side effect of her unplanned sleeping position. Grip tightening on the fabric in her arms as she stretched her back, her eyes opened wider and she looked down at the clothes pressed to her body.

No change, aside from being wrinkled. The uniform looked the same as it had been, hanging on her wall for months. The newly added thread she went through so much trouble to acquire the night before seemed to have merged flawlessly into the stitching.

Ryuko sighed and pushed the fabric away, letting it crumple on the floor as she moved her arms to help her get up from her downright uncomfortable position. "Shit," she cursed quietly, twisting her head to crack her neck slightly and alleviate some of the lingering pain. "What the hell even happened last night?"

A survey of the room helped to remind her. Dried blood all over the floors and dresser, in spatters and smeared hand-prints. Half her scissor blade and a strengthened sewing needle were lying on the floor, covered in dried blood. Blood was stuck onto her skin as well; the rusty smell hit her nose like a truck and she grimaced.

"Urgh, gross," she grumbled, her hand rubbing her chest slightly. “God, I’m such an idiot." There seemed to be a barely noticeable scar down the middle of her chest, shallow and soft like a stretch mark.  _ That probably should have healed by now. _

Letting out a yawn, she picked herself up off the ground, stumbling a bit as she got to her feet. Rubbing her face to a not-bloodied section of her arm, she then made her way to her kitchen, needing to wash the dried blood from her hands at the sink. Her gaze focused sleepily out the window in front of her, going through the motions of scrubbing her hands, arms, and face. The remainder of her body was wiped up using a wet towel; a proper bath would come later. She was just focused on getting most of it cleaned off for the time being so she could eat some damn food.  _ I'm exhausted. Where's Mako when you need her for some morning energy? _

A bowl of dry cereal was her breakfast of choice on mornings such as this. Low effort, quick, and still somewhat filling. It certainly didn't help that she could have killed herself last night and was still healing. Sharp cooking appliances were the last thing she wanted to handle right now. She chewed slowly, still mentally scolding herself for her reckless actions. Once done, a bath followed, the warm water and sounds of morning nature hopefully helping her to relax.

Ryuko sighed, scrubbing herself softly in the wooden tub, her gaze tired as she focused on the trees in the distance.  _ Did I stitch it well enough? Was it not enough thread? Would me putting my own life fibers into it even work like that? There's so much I don't know, so many variables to account for; it was just a dumb idea and I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up in the first place. I wish I had more information. I wish I had someone to help me. _

As the bath drained, Ryuko slipped on a new pair of underwear once again and made her way back inside, preparing to mop up the carnage from the night before. She tossed her dirty underwear into the bucket of dirt-covered clothes from the night before. That'll get done eventually. Wandering into the room of last night's escapade, the smell of dry blood made her gag and cough lightly upon entering. She hissed angrily as she swept up the uniform off the floor and into her grip, stretching it out in front of her and glaring as she looked it over intensely. Still no change.

Teeth gritted to hide her disappointment, she undid the suspenders and tossed the upper half of the outfit over her shoulder, slipping the skirt of the lower half up her legs to rest upon her hips. She then took the upper half and slipped it over her head, tugging it downward until it was snug. She clipped the suspenders back to the skirt, taking a deep breath as the clothing hugged her body. It fit perfectly, as expected, but it lacked… something. It was cold.

_ The warmth of my blood coursing through it -- through him.  _

Bare feet plodded along the wooden floor as she walked over to the dresser, careful to avoid the sharp objects still on the ground. A previously unopened drawer revealed the Seki Tekko within, which she removed and slipped onto her left hand. Still a perfectly fitting glove as well. She whirled around, looking into a full-length mirror that was propped against the opposite wall, next to the entryway to her bedroom.

The resemblance was uncanny. It was like looking at herself two years ago, only her eyes were a bit more baggy and dull, betraying her restless nights and negative disposition. Her hair was a bit longer as well, though she liked to keep it trimmed to its usual length, or even shorter, in the last year. Her lips were downturned into a frown as she brushed a few wrinkles from her skirt. "Just a dumb sailor uniform," she grumbled, her stance widening as she brought her gloved fist up to her chest. Her other hand gripped the pin of the Seki Tekko, hesitating to pull it since she knew it would just be another failed attempt, with possible negative side effects from blood loss. She didn't really need anymore of that so soon.  _ Do I really need to disappoint myself further? I should just quit while I'm ahead and clean up my mess. _

Straightening her stance, standing tall and giving a defiant glare to herself in the mirror as a response to her downtrodden thoughts, she pulled the pin, triggering the needles that sank into her wrist. She flinched very slightly from the sensation, as she hadn't performed this particular test in months. The blood rushed from her body into the life fibers of her clothes, her body tensing up as it started to warm her skin.

Then, a squeeze, as if the uniform were hugging her tightly. Her eyes widened suddenly. That was new… but familiar at the same time. She held her breath, looking down at herself and watching intensely as the uniform translated to a red and then white glow; the fibers tightened and shifted against her skin. Another squeeze, as if the Kamui was latching and biting onto her to draw more blood. Her exhale was forced from her lips by the pressure upon her body, heart rate increasing, likely from excitement building up within her chest. It was actually happening.

The shapes of light resembling her uniform began to shift, extending beyond her body into two points above her shoulders. The fibers of her skirt snaked downwards, forming her high-heel boots and covering less of her hips than before. She blushed, remembering vividly just how revealing this outfit used to be. Another tight squeeze between her thighs and around her curves -- suspenders running down along her breasts -- the fabric all-around tightening against her skin with a light snap. The vents of her back and shoulder pieces formed, a hiss of warm steam escaping them. The light began to fade, revealing the red and black metallic fibers which were now hardened into armor.

Ryuko's gaze snapped to her right shoulder, her heart skipping a beat as she saw the scarred, closed eye of the shoulder plate. Her frown turning to a smile, she then looked to her left shoulder, her right hand caressing the bottom of the extended lapel. There it was: the yellow, orange, and red eye of her old partner. It stared straight ahead, the pupil small and focused, unmoving. She had to catch her breath, heart beating quickly as her eyes welled up.

"Senketsu?!" She gasped in disbelief. It was undoubtedly him; he was there with her again, her beloved Kamui. Her plan worked. "Senketsu, it's really you. I've missed you so much, it's been so long!"

No response. The pupil of the eye stayed absolutely still as she awaited a reply or reaction. Ryuko's frown slowly returned as she gripped the lapel, her other arm wrapping around her torso to hug herself; a terrible pain welled up in her gut as she looked into her partner's eye.

"Senketsu? That's you, right?" She started to plead, her legs shaking lightly. The amount of blood required to power this transformation was taking a toll on her already weakened body, which was still recovering from the night before. The doubt and fear crept back into her mind and she faltered, dropping to her knees on the blood-stained floor with a wince. "Say something. Anything. Please?"

Still no response. A tear fell from her cheek onto the warm, hardened armor. She bit her tongue and did her best to stop any more from flowing. Silence filled the room, broken only by the armor venting heat quietly on occasion. Her hands dropped from the lapel and from her side, both fists resting on her thighs. Hunched over, she shut her eyes, her body shuddering as she tried to keep from breaking down entirely. 

_ I'm such a fool. An absolute idiot. I should have known this would never work. He's gone for good, and I'll never see him or wear him or speak to him again. _

She couldn't hold back her tears any longer, and they slid down from her face onto her thighs. Her gloved hands pressed to her face, to assist in covering up her steadily-growing sobbing. She came so close, but it still ended in failure. This was her last chance and it wasn't enough. Her closest friend was gone forever, and she just had to accept that fact. She would have to live with that feeling of loss and guilt every time she looked at a stupid sailor uniform. Her heart raced, her thoughts consumed her, and her body started to feel like ice as growing despair filled her heart and soul. The silence of the room was numbing and torturous. She just wanted to rip off this ridiculous, revealing outfit and burn it all.

"Ryuko," a familiar voice murmured weakly. "Please calm yourself. Your blood is tasting quite cold and bitter."


	3. Chapter 3

Ryuko's heart skipped a beat as the silence of her small forest home was broken. A voice she had only ever heard in her dreams as of late pierced the quiet and caused her to abruptly cease her steady sobbing. She lifted her tear-covered face from her hands slowly, her gaze flitting to her left side, down at her chest.

The pupil of the eye upon her Kamui had moved from its frozen, dilated state; it was now resting along the upper edge of the lapel, right around the middle, looking directly at her with deep concern.

"Are you alright, Ryuko? Your pulse is feeling quite rapid and weak," the uniform muttered, his one good eye quickly surveying their surroundings, noticing the dried blood and discarded scissor blade to the side. "Are you in danger?"

Suddenly it was as if she couldn't find words in her vocabulary. Her hope had been renewed, dashed, and then swiftly renewed again. Ryuko swallowed deeply, her hand shakily pressing to the lapel to assure herself that it wasn't just her imagination at work. He looked at her shaking hand, then quickly began the glow of transformation. The shapes of light shifted back into the form they were previously, becoming a plain fabric sailor uniform once more. After completing his shift, his eye looked back up at Ryuko's face again, clearly worried.

"You seem to have lost a lot of blood, Ryuko. Your body is weak and on the verge of passing out. I can't risk staying in that form, for your sake. What happened here?"

Ryuko choked back another sob, a smile forming slowly as he spoke to her. That voice was all she wanted to hear for the longest time, and she couldn't even begin to respond to his questions. She hugged her arms around herself to hold him to her body, a cheek pressing to her lapel as she shivered a slow release of her built up tension. "It's really you, Senketsu."

"Yes, it's me," he replied with a hint of confusion, not at all used to seeing this side of Ryuko. His eye blinked once as he searched his own memories, trying to piece together the current situation. "Ryuko… How did I get here? How long has it been since we last spoke? The last thing I remember was the battle with Ragyo, then the falling, there was fire…" He trailed off, noticing her frown and the sadness that filled her eyes upon the mention of their last moments together. Maybe it was best not to talk about it at the moment; she was clearly not in a good state of mind currently. "It's good to see you, Ryuko," he said gently, adjusting his fit to her body to squeeze lightly and comfort her with a simulated hug. "Are you alright?"

Sniffling lightly, she rubbed the tears from her eyes with a deep, calming breath. "I'm alright," she sighed. "I could be better. I'm just tired and sore, that's all." Her spare hand caressed the fabric of her torso lightly, doing her best to calm herself and not be such a mess in front of Senketsu. Being alone in the forest for extended periods of time seemed to weaken the stubborn emotional walls she usually kept up. "I didn't expect this to work, honestly. It's good to see you too."

"What exactly did you do to bring me... here?" Senketsu asked again, a little more concerned this time since he could still feel her weakened pulse. The bloodied state of the room they were in was also not particularly reassuring.

Ryuko scratched the back of her head lightly, chuckling softly. "Well… I recovered my father's research and gathered as many life fibers as I could to make a new Kamui, but it wouldn't activate no matter what I tried," she explained, shifting her legs to sit more comfortably on the rug beneath her. "I got to thinking and figured I might have needed some of the original life fibers from your creation or something that had been in contact with you… All I had that I knew were from that time, well, they were inside me." Her explanation grew quieter and she rubbed her chest lightly. "So I… cut myself open and pulled some fibers right out to stitch into the Kamui I made!" This last bit was hurried, in an attempt to brush it off as insignificant.

Looking down at Senketsu's eye nervously, she could have sworn it was about to pop right off onto the floor with how wide and angry it had grown. "But it's fine!" She exclaimed, hastily trying to reassure her friend that she was most certainly sane and cutting him off from any scolding. "It didn't hurt  _ that _ much! And it only left a small scar! Honest!"

Senketsu remained silent, blinking and delaying his response, likely collecting himself to prevent lashing out. Letting out a small sigh, he looked up at Ryuko. "You shouldn't endanger yourself so recklessly for my sake," he replied coolly. "You told me you were going to wear much cuter clothing, yet I'm here again. I thought you'd have outgrown me by now."

Ryuko bristled and her brow furrowed as she glared down at his eye. Shakily scrambling to her feet, she tugged him off of her body and growled audibly as she tossed him onto a nearby armchair with force. He landed with a surprised sputter and quickly turned to face her, returning her agitated glare.

"This isn't about clothes, you idiot! You're not just an article of clothing, you're my best friend," she barked, pointing at him as she unloaded her anger. Her other hand was balled up in a fist, practically ready to punch the stupid shirt. "I couldn't just outgrow someone who knew me so well, so closely; the only being on this stupid planet that would understand how I feel, not being entirely human! I’m some kind of weird, mutant, alien freak and you were the only one who even came close to knowing what that was like! I was alone without you." Her eyes started to well up again, all her suppressed feelings from the past year and a half bubbling up to the surface. Senketsu's glare softened as he shrank into the seat. He had clearly hit a nerve, but it was too late now.

"You didn't even give me a chance that day," she hissed, a tear running from her narrowed eyes. "You burned up and left me there, when we could have survived the fall together. I could have repaired you, but instead you disappeared, leaving me with no one else that could fully understand me like you do! I held you in my heart all that time but it wasn't the same. I needed you, Senketsu." She took a moment to wipe the tears from her eyes, still glaring at the seated uniform. Her body had started to shake, being more visible in her legs, as she caught herself from a weak stumble. "So yeah, I risked everything to bring you back to me! Scold me for it all you want."

The resulting silence between the two of them crackled with tension and nervousness. The uniform's one good eye widened and blinked again, watering up slightly. Ryuko frowned at the sight, breaking the silence with a frustrated sigh. "Sorry for yelling," she grumbled, hugging herself around the chest to cover her bare torso again. "I've just been lonely, I guess."

"I'm sorry, Ryuko," Senketsu muttered in response, his lapels drooping as he scrunched up in the seat. "I only intended to keep you safe that day, in the best way possible. I didn't see any other option. If I did, I would have…" He trailed off, his voice growing more emotional as he looked downward.

With a roll of her eyes, Ryuko stepped towards him, lifting him up and hugging him close to her body. "It's okay, Senketsu. We're together now, and that's all that matters." She looked down at him as his sleeves moved to hug her back. "Don't cry, because you know how much I hate it when you get all damp and gross."

The duo’s comforting embrace was cut short by another sudden shiver followed by a slight stumble from Ryuko, who steadied herself using the armchair. Senketsu’s lapels perked up again, looking up at her worriedly. “Ryuko?” He inquired, “Are you alright?” Given that her response was a shuddered exhale and not much else, he quickly forced himself onto her, his good eye surveying the room frantically, searching for where her bed might be. “Your pulse is still weak, you need to rest,” he spoke urgently, tugging to move her in the direction of her bedroom’s doorway. She grumbled but ultimately staggered in the direction he was urging her towards, keeping her balance using furniture and the walls.

Stopping in the doorway for just a moment, Ryuko came to rest against the frame. She took a deep breath, pressing a hand beneath her partner's eye to cease his tugging for just a moment. "I've got this, don't worry," she said with a slight smile, taking the last few stumbling strides to her bed and flopping onto it to rest. She sprawled onto the soft surface, her body thanking her for finally reaching a proper sleeping surface by easing her pain slightly. "Thank you, Senketsu."

The uniform would have breathed a sigh of relief if he could have. "I would do more but I'm not quite at full strength myself," he mumbled with a hint of irritation, mostly to himself. A comfortable silence followed, and he looked up towards Ryuko, checking to see if she was conscious while quietly examining her vitals. Her rapid pulse had finally started to relax to a resting rate, and her breathing was slow and deep.  _ Good. _ There was still a slight smile on her face, and she lifted her left hand to flex and stretch it, admiring the Seki Tekko she hadn't worn in months. Her other hand moved back to rest upon the lapel where his eye was, as if to make sure he was still there with her.

Remaining outwardly still so as not to disturb Ryuko, who was slowly descending into sleep, Senketsu felt a twinge of guilt as he recalled his partner's heated words from earlier. He didn't realize just how much his departure affected her. He tried to recall anything that had happened between then and now, but could only dredge up brief wells of strong emotions, possibly moments when Ryuko had looked inward for assistance. They had occurred fairly often over the last year…

_ I really did leave her with no one who understood her, _ he thought sadly as Ryuko fell into a deep sleep. Though the amount he had been taking was minuscule, he refrained from drawing any more blood, giving her body time to recover. His one good eye closed, directing all his attention towards monitoring her vitals while he still could. Consciousness began to fade after an hour or so as he fell into his own version of sleep, with no blood to sustain his energy. Ryuko's steady heart beat filled his fading thoughts; how he had missed that calming sound…

_ I'm so sorry, Ryuko. I won't leave again, I promise. _


	4. Chapter 4

An extended night passed by, the morning sun never getting its chance to shine due to a storm front that had blown in overnight. Distant thunder rumbled, growing ever closer to the little cottage in the woods. The wind swiftly followed, making the tall trees shift and creak, leaves and pine needles shedding steadily. Lightning wove its way through the dreary grey clouds, creating ever-louder grumblings. Creatures sought shelter from the storm in the taller undergrowth, while a few of the smaller rodents darted for the refuge of the burnt mansion ruins nearby.

A stray bolt of lightning struck a taller pine, generating a powerful clap of thunder that shook the forest. Ryuko jolted awake with a sharp gasp, sitting up in her bed and breathing quickly as she glanced around her room. Nothing to be seen, of course; the bedroom was pitch black and the only light came from a lamp in her kitchen a couple rooms away. Taking in a deeper breath to calm herself, she let out an extended sigh, closing her eyes and rubbing the sleep from them with her ungloved hand. The haze of her waking mind faded slowly, and she looked down at her uniform.

"You there, Senketsu?" Her voice contained a hint of worry, her hand resting on the lapel. His eye appeared to be closed, and his lack of a reply further fueled her rising paranoia. _I just got him back_ , she thought, _He can't be gone already. It can't have been a fluke, or just a dream. God, not again._

Her eyes glanced to her bedside end table, searching for a sharp object to draw a minor amount of blood. Failing to find one, her gaze and hand moved back to her Seki Tekko, hastily pulling the pin with a wince, the needles jabbing into her skin to draw blood once more. Senketsu's eye shot open, but he didn't transform immediately as he usually would.

"Ryuko," he seemed to gasp suddenly, having been jolted awake. "Please put that back." With a frown concealing her immense relief, she complied, replacing the pin and allowing herself to relax. His eye scanned the room swiftly to ensure they weren't in danger, and sure enough, they were not. "You mustn't abuse that," he scolded lightly, to which she responded with an eye roll and a scoff. "I won't fully transform unless absolutely necessary. Your body needs time to recover and I won't be the one to jeopardize your health."

"Oh shut up!" Ryuko growled in reply, sitting up at the edge of her bed. "I'm fine, quit your whining. I was just making sure you were still… there." She pursed her lips slightly, not allowing her excessive worry from minutes before to show. Getting up from her bed, she stretched her arms and back, yawning and grunting as she felt some relieving pops through her spine and shoulders. Her pain was nothing more than background noise for her body at this point. Her eyes focused on her bedroom window as thunder repeatedly rumbled outside and the wind swept wet leaves along the forest floor. "Sounds pretty gnarly out there. Guess I won't be getting any work done outside today."

"Not that you should work, you need rest," her uniform suggested firmly, squinting up at her. Ryuko huffed and ignored his sage advice, making her way out of her bedroom and into her still-dirtied living room. Turning the lamp back on, she grimaced at the sight, kicking the blood-stained rug into a pile. That was probably ruined for good at this point. Senketsu took in the view of the room as she moved about, grabbing items such as the reinforced needle and her dagger-sized scissor blade. He couldn't help but feel guilty, seeing just how badly she bled in this room just two nights prior. _She really went this far for me?_

Ryuko took the sharp objects to her kitchen sink, running hot water over them and scrubbing the dried blood from their metal surfaces. Shaking the water from the scissor half in particular, she enlarged it to its usual size, looking it over thoroughly to ensure she had gotten the blood washed off entirely. She used a washcloth to get any further spots buffed out before nodding her approval and taking it back to the room, resting it with the other half.

"Do you have a need to keep the Rending Scissors around?" Senketsu asked out of the blue, breaking the silence with a sudden thought of his own. Ryuko jumped slightly, almost unnoticeable to him if it weren't for the fact that she was wearing him. She was so used to being alone… Getting used to his presence again would definitely take some time.

"Not really," she replied, looking down at them and admiring her polishing job. She'd have to get the other half later. "There's nothing to really fight nowadays. But Satsuki rescued them from the Honno City ruins so… They're a gift, and they do kinda have some sentimental value."

Senketsu replied with a thoughtful "hmm", immersing himself in quiet thought once more as Ryuko proceeded to make her way back into the kitchen. Grabbing a wet cleaning cloth, she got to work scrubbing the floors of her living room, erasing the stains of her struggle slowly. Extra care was given to her furnishings that had been unlucky to be part of the fray, such as the dresser and wall where the once-dormant Kamui had been hanging. The bloody hand-prints she focused on scrubbing away were honestly quite unsettling.

It had taken about an hour or two, but her living room no longer looked like a war-zone. She tossed the dirtied rags into her growing pile of dirty laundry and drew apart the curtains to look outside. Thunder still rumbled in the far distance, but the afternoon sun peeked through openings in the cloud-riddled sky. A much closer rumbling emanated from Ryuko's stomach; a signal to retreat from her cleaning job and get a proper bite to eat.

Moving to her kitchen and opening the fridge, she gathered the ingredients to assemble a couple sandwiches for herself. She had skipped more meals than she should have in the last few days so the sandwiches were stuffed full of various meats, and she devoured them happily while savoring the taste. Senketsu glanced up at her, relieved that at least her appetite was returning to normal. She leaned back in the chair after finishing her meal, stretching her arms toward the ceiling with a little grunt.

"You're awfully quiet, Senketsu. Is there something on your mind?"

The uniform blinked, his gaze moving away to focus on some unknown point in the room. "Not really," he replied quietly. Ryuko looked down at him curiously, but his eye seemed to avoid meeting hers. "I suppose," he continued with a hint of hesitation, "I'm just getting used to existing again, if that makes sense."

“... Huh?”

Her confusion prompted further explanation. "I mean, it was as if I blacked out, fell asleep. Between then and now, there was just nothingness. Some brief moments of light and sound, I'm not sure where from or how, and then I woke up here. How long has it even been?"

Ryuko looked out the kitchen window at the cloudy sky, folding her arms as she frowned slightly. "Two years, give or take."

Senketsu felt the guilt setting in again at her response. Two years of loneliness. He almost considered himself lucky that his "death" ended up feeling like a long nap. Silence filled the space between them again as he considered his next words carefully. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her again.

"You said there isn't much to fight these days," he mumbled, following her gaze to the cloudy skies through the window. "So then I have to wonder what my purpose for existing is now. What use do I serve?"

Ryuko looked down at him, feeling a mixture of worry and pity. She hadn't thought about what would happen once he was back, or what he might have wanted. It was as if the moment Mikisugi revealed Senketsu's true nature at Nudist Beach was happening all over again. This time, however, there wasn't an immediate danger that had to be dealt with. Hell, there was no danger at all. Senketsu had fulfilled the goals he was created by her father for. Now that she thought about it, so did she. She hugged herself, giving the uniform a slight squeeze as they both stared out the window at the grey skies.

"I guess we're both wondering that for ourselves, Senketsu."

"It's different for you, though," he replied softly. "You're mostly human." _I'm just an alien piece of clothing that has to feed off you to live_ , he thought to himself, wincing at the idea of using Ryuko in that way. He hated thinking too hard about it.

"You are too. Your physical form doesn't make you less deserving of life," she said simply. He didn't have a response to that right away, and so the silence resumed. Ryuko's thoughts were racing, trying to think of something, anything, to say to comfort him right now. But in the end, she just felt selfish; now they were both stuck living in a weird feeling of uselessness. He was right in a way: at least she could pass and live as a human. He didn't have that luxury.

"I just wanted you back with me, Senketsu," she continued. "Would you like me to take you off?"

"No," he muttered without hesitation. "I'm yours." These words seemed to elicit a strange fluttering in Ryuko's stomach, a slight blush appearing on her face. He never really phrased it like that before. Luckily he wasn't looking at her in that moment, and he continued his train of thought. "I also feel much weaker than I was years ago. I don't think I can last very long without you like I used to; similar to how things were at the start."

"That makes sense," Ryuko thought aloud. "You're basically newly-made again. Guess we'll just have to spend time together to make up for it, huh?" She smiled, getting up from her chair with a stretch. "What do you think about seeing Mako again?"

The uniform chuckled quietly. "It would be lovely to see her again, and see what her family has been up to all this time. I'm surprised you're not with them," he said, his eye looking up at Ryuko.

"I think I'd go crazy living under that roof all year long," she said with a smirk, making her way back into her bedroom to slip on her sneakers and grab the keys to her scooter. "I still go back for visits and school. Dunno what'll happen when I graduate later this year, though."

She made her way out the front door and around the side of the cottage. Removing the protective tarp from the scooter, she pinned it up beneath the overhang and straddled the seat, inserting the key.

"Don't you need a helmet, Ryuko?" Senketsu asked, his eye narrowed. She scoffed in response, rolling her eyes again. Such an overprotective piece of clothing!

"Don't worry so much, Mako's place is only about half an hour away. I'll fill you in on everything that's happened while you were gone," she said with a smile, turning the key and revving the scooter's engine lightly. His response was a disapproving grumble, barely audible as she rode down the dirt path to the highway, speeding away to the Mankanshoku household.


	5. Chapter 5

"Don't worry Mrs. Mankanshoku, I promise I'm eating well enough! Thank you again for the lovely dinner! I'll see you all again soon!"

Closing the door behind her, both Ryuko and Senketsu let out a relieved breath, enjoying the relative silence. The raucous laughter and conversation of the loud and energetic family could still be heard, albeit faintly, through the front door. The visit was pleasant and about as wild as expected. Mako was overjoyed to see Senketsu again, and though she couldn't hear him, he felt the same. Tight hugs and happy tears were abundant, and thankfully Mako didn't pry into the details of how he was brought back. Ryuko had a feeling she would never hear the end of it had she told the entire grisly story.

"Man, I'm stuffed," Ryuko chuckled, patting her stomach lightly. "Mako's mom still makes the best croquettes in town. The whole family was so happy to see you again, Senketsu."

"Yes, it would seem so," the uniform replied happily. "It was nice to see them too, just as I remembered them. Though I feel their overall volume has increased."

Ryuko laughed quietly, gripping the handlebars of her scooter and walking it out onto the sidewalk and down the side of the road. "Satsuki lives not far from here too, so I may as well stop by before heading home."

"She doesn't live in the Kiryuin manor?"

"Nah, I think she has too many bad memories of that place. I would too if I were her," Ryuko mumbled, making her way through the smaller streets. "Still got a pretty nice house, though. And she still has that butler guy working for her too."

Straddling the seat of the scooter again, Ryuko started the engine and leisurely drove through town. The sun began to set, painting the sky rosy hues of orange and red. Luckily the traffic was virtually non-existent at this hour, seeing as most folks were cooking or eating dinner with their families. After another 15 or 20 minute drive, they arrived at a modern-styled house, nestled in its own spot near the edge of town. Ryuko steadied the scooter to rest on its kickstand, making her way up to the door afterwards.

A knock summoned Soroi the butler quite swiftly, who answered the door with a friendly smile and formal greeting. He gave Ryuko a quick look-over, eyes widening slightly as he noticed her wearing her Kamui after so long, before excusing himself to fetch Satsuki, closing the door again.

"That's odd," Ryuko muttered, rubbing her arm slightly. "Usually he doesn't mind letting me in right away. Guess something might be going on." Senketsu hummed contemplatively for a moment before the door opened again, revealing the lady of the house, Satsuki Kiryuin.

"Hey sis," Ryuko said with a smirk and a little wave. "Wanted to pop by for a quick hello. Make sure you're doing alright." Looking at Satsuki's face, which was more stern than usual and seemed to be displaying… anger? Ryuko felt like something was definitely off. "If now's a bad time, though, I can come around another day," she mumbled softly, tugging lightly at the red ribbon of her collar.

"What are you wearing?" Satsuki asked firmly, her eyes narrowed as she kept the door ajar, not moving from inside. Faint footsteps could be heard as Soroi moved around the house behind her.

"Oh… Well, it's Senketsu! You remember him, right?" Ryuko smiled and chuckled nervously. "It took me a while to find the life fibers I needed to make him again, but I finally did it and it worked. He's back." Senketsu looked up at Ryuko before looking back at Satsuki, the brief motion showing that he was, in fact, present. He stayed silent since he knew only Ryuko could hear him, and he didn't want to distract her currently, but he could certainly feel the tension in the air. It made him feel uneasy and uncertain about what was about to unfold.

"Life fibers," Satsuki hissed lightly, "after we fought so hard to rid this world of them for good." Soroi, having appeared behind her, held a sheathed katana in his hands; likely a reforged Bakuzan that Kiryuin had made for decor. Satsuki quickly took it in hand, unsheathing it and pointing the sharp tip right at Ryuko's chest with a single swift motion. "Ryuko, this is dangerous."

"W-what the fuck?!" Ryuko yelled, taking a hurried step back and placing a hand on her chest between Senketsu and the tip of the blade. "I'll say it's dangerous, watch where the hell you're swinging that thing!"

"How do you know it won't take control of you? How do you know it's safe? Is it actually Senketsu, not just an act the fibers are putting on to use you?"

"Yes, it's him!" Ryuko snapped, her face twisting into a full-blown snarl. "I worked on this project myself, with Iori's help, and I was safe every step of the way! I took precautions! I've been working on this for months, and in case you fucking forgot, the fibers were never completely gone! I've always had them inside me, always will, and you know that." She swatted the sword that was pointed at her aside, stepping forward and grabbing Satsuki by the collar. "I risked my life to bring Senketsu back, so don't you dare threaten him again."

"Ryuko, don't do anything rash," Senketsu remarked, looking up at his wearer. "You know she has every right to be cautious." He paused to think about Kiryuin’s suspicions, guilt creeping up again at the mention of him "using" Ryuko. He wouldn't dare do anything to hurt her, but the fact that his existence relied on her blood made him feel guilty regardless.

"I know we haven't seen each other in a few months," Ryuko continued, ignoring Senketsu for the moment. "And I know we're not exactly close like family should be. But would it kill you to have a little faith in me?" Their eyes were locked, blue staring into blue, as Satsuki frowned down at her younger sister. A small click could be heard as her sword was sheathed once more, handing it back to Soroi, who left to place it back into whatever display she had made for it. Her hand gently came up to meet Ryuko's, which was still tightly gripped on her shirt's collar, and grabbed to remove it gently.

"I apologize, Ryuko," she said calmly, her eyes closing, thus ending their intense staredown. "I hope you can understand my wariness. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, though." She held her sister's hand gently, the corner of her lips turning upwards just slightly as she looked at the uniform again. "Hello again, Senketsu."

"That's more like it," Ryuko grumbled, pulling her hand away after a moment to fold her arms in an angry pout. Despite knowing he couldn't be heard, Senketsu returned the greeting, then looked up at Ryuko expectantly. She sighed and rolled her eyes lightly, looking toward her sister. "He says hello to you as well. Next time, try waiting to pull out a sword, you lunatic."

"My apologies once more," Satsuki said with a light chuckle. "I haven't kept up with Iori's projects, so I didn't know he was working on something like this with you." She beckoned her sibling into her home, leading her to a very sterile-looking living room, taking a seat on the couch.

"Yeah well, it wasn't exactly his project." Ryuko took a seat on the opposite end of the couch from her sister, lifting her legs to plop her dirty tennis shoes onto the pristine coffee table, garnering a dismayed look from Soroi as he brought the two of them a tray of tea. "I did most of the work myself, just got his help figuring out how to find the fibers at the start. Along with some tailoring questions here and there."

Satsuki hummed softly with a nod as she listened, taking a sip from her newly-claimed teacup. Ryuko waved the offered tea away, and Soroi departed once more. "So he isn't aware you were making a Kamui?" Satsuki asked, looking up from her drink slightly.

"Not really. I just told him I needed life fibers for a research project."

"I see." She took another light sip from her cup. "So how are you so certain that what you're wearing is the Senketsu from before?"

"He has his memories," Ryuko replied, resting her hand on the lapel where his eye was. "And I can feel it. This is him, I know it." _I feel whole again_ , she thought with a little smile.

Satsuki hummed again with interest, leaning forward to look at the Kamui intently. "How did you manage that?" She asked, her question mumbled almost to herself; almost rhetorical.

"Well it was just a dormant Kamui until a few days ago," Ryuko explained, hesitating as she wondered if she should go into detail. Eh, what the hell. "Senketsu only woke up once I added a life fiber from inside me to the stitching." Her hand moved to the middle of her chest, fiddling with the red ribbon again, her eyes looking down to the floor to avoid direct contact with anyone. "Yes, getting it was painful. No, I don't regret doing it."

"I still worry about that," Senketsu commented, his eye squinting as he looked up at her. "You could have killed yourself, it was reckless and f-- HMMPH!" His scolding was cut short by Ryuko wordlessly folding her arms and pressing them forcefully to the fabric of her chest, stifling his speech.

Satsuki's eyes widened, tilting her head to look up at her sister's face. "How interesting," she remarked, sitting back against the couch comfortably, sipping her tea again. "Have you shown Iori the results? I'm sure he'd love to know everything and maybe make his own observations."

"I haven't. Dunno if I want to, he might start poking Senketsu and I with a needle all over," Ryuko sighed, closing her eyes and rolling her head back to crack her neck softly. "Bad enough you almost carved me up with a damn katana already."

"Please, I'm not that rusty," she replied with a smirk. "I still spar with Sanageyama regularly."

"I bet," Ryuko scoffed. The two sisters proceeded to sit in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, Satsuki leisurely sipping her tea as Ryuko relaxed on the couch, staring up at the blank ceiling. She was contemplating if she should go see Shiro Iori as her sister had suggested. _I guess it couldn't hurt._

"I'll probably pay Iori a visit, if you really think I should," Ryuko broke the silence with her concluding thought. She glanced over to Kiryuin, who looked back at her over the teacup in her hands. "It's always nice to see you, sis. I hope you're doing well." She smiled a little, her shoes returning to the ground from the coffee table surface as she sat upright. Soroi breathed a quiet, relieved sigh from the kitchen.

"I'm fine," Satsuki replied, returning the smile. "This calm, mundane life is good for healing." A pause as she placed her cup on the coffee table, rising to stand with her sister. "It's nice to see you as well. And I'm glad you and Senketsu are back together. I could tell you were troubled without him."

Ryuko blushed lightly and huffed, glaring in the direction of the front door. "I was fine."

"Sure you were," Satsuki chuckled as she stepped forward to give her sister a light hug. "You be careful and take care of yourself, Ryuko."

Ryuko rolled her eyes and smothered a smile as she returned the hug. "I will. I'll try to visit you more often too," She mumbled, their hug separating as she turned to make her way out of the sterile household.

"Only if you take your shoes off at the door. I can hear Soroi getting his cleaning supplies already."

"Only if you don't threaten me with a weapon as a damn greeting!" Ryuko yelled as she walked out of the living room, glaring over her shoulders at her grinning sister as she rounded the corner into the entrance hall.

"No guarantees!" Kiryuin called as Ryuko opened the door, departing and shutting it firmly behind her.

"She always has to have the last damn word," Ryuko hissed to herself, making her way to the sidewalk and sitting upon her scooter again, arms folded. Crickets chirped as she looked up at the night sky, the sunset now thoroughly gone, replaced by a dark blue canvas littered with stars.

"Are we going to visit Iori?" Senketsu asked quietly, looking up at Ryuko.

"Nah, it's a bit too late to be visiting anyone else," She said with a wave of her hand. "We should probably get back home." Turning the key, she revved the engine of her scooter lightly before driving off into the night, making her way along the roads back towards the Matoi mansion ruins.


	6. Chapter 6

The dim headlights of Ryuko's scooter illuminated the small cottage as she arrived, dismounting and walking it to its usual parking spot. Covering it with the tarp once more, she exhaled and stretched her back. Crickets were chirping away still, a moth fluttering around Ryuko to enjoy the newly-lit lantern next to her front door. She glanced back toward the road she had just driven down, spotting a couple fireflies flickering in the dark, before heading into her house to hang up her keys and kick off her shoes.

"What a day," she sighed, yawning slightly afterward. "I could seriously use a bath after all that." Her hands moved to her suspenders, unclipping them before preparing to lift the top over her head.

"Wait, Ryuko." The uniform protested suddenly, speaking for the first time in almost an hour now.

"Is something wrong, Senketsu?" Her arms were paused mid-motion, looking down to his eye.

"I still don't quite feel like myself. I still feel… weak. I would like to stay worn by you."

"While I take a bath?!"

"Yes."

"Oh hell no," she scoffed, pulling the uniform off and tossing him onto the floor in one swift motion. He grumbled in a heap of fabric on the floor before pulling himself up and turning to face his wearer, who was already taking a towel and heading back out to her outdoor tub.

"Wait, Ryuko," he called again, bouncing lightly to follow her outside, door closing behind them. "I do think prolonged physical contact will fix this condition I'm feeling. It was how we gained strength before, when you finally wore me and I was worn by you."

"I am NOT bathing while wearing you," she said with a side-long glare, running warm water into her tub. Her hands slid to her underwear on her hips. "Wet clothes are uncomfortable as all hell. Now turn around and don't peek, I do not need to deal with peeping toms while I bathe again."

Senketsu remained still, his eye narrowed and looking at her thoroughly unamused. "Ryuko," he said firmly, his annoyance barely veiled. "I have already seen every inch of your body. I am literally your clothing."

With an angry huff, she picked him up by the back of his collar and threw him over the screen petition on the opposite side of her tub. "Don't be a smartass," she barked, her hands returning to her underwear to remove it. He yelped and landed in the grass with a muffled thud, grumbling complaints intensifying in volume as Ryuko slipped into her warm bath with a happy sigh. After shutting off the flow of water, her arms draped over the sides and her head leaned back to rest on the edge of her bath, eyes closed as she relaxed.

She could hear shuffling sounds in the grass, likely Senketsu bouncing around to make his way back inside. Ryuko grinned to herself, feeling triumphant that she had won the short argument. Suddenly, she felt fabric brush against her hand, causing her eyes to open, preparing for some form of retaliation from the uniform. Was he going to tug on her arm to get her out of the bath? Pull himself up to force himself onto her? She tensed up, waiting for further action.

… But none came. The fabric stayed lightly pressed to her hand, unmoving. Lifting her head from its rest, she leaned to the side to peek over the edge of her tub, wondering if something might have happened to him to prompt his stillness.

Senketsu was standing there, with his sleeve pressed to her hand, but he faced away from the tub itself. His eye seemed focused on the crescent moon and shimmering fireflies off in the distance, avoiding looking back at her. Ryuko's brow furrowed, looking down at him with her chin just above water level.

"What are you doing?" She asked curiously, a brow arched.

"Contact," he muttered softly, glancing back at her briefly as he spoke. "While also respecting your wishes."

Her only response was a squint as the gears in her head turned, attempting to make sense of the current situation. Finally, after a moment of quiet broken only by distant crickets in the night, she sighed and gripped the sleeve that was pressed to her hand. He looked back at her just before she lifted him up and pushed him into the bath water.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" He yelled, writhing and splashing in the warm water as she dunked him in without warning.

"Calm down!" Ryuko barked, shielding her eyes from the splashing bath water. He stopped his wild flailing, narrowing his eye at her, already halfway out of the tub of water. Another sigh escaped her lips as she lowered her hands back into the water, gently gripping him, turning him around, and hugging him to her bare chest. Her hands started to slowly work along the fabric of his sleeves, scrubbing gently to get the dust and other grime out from the last couple of days they were together.

Senketsu blinked, clearly confused. This was a rather new experience, and not what he had thought of when he asked to join her earlier. "Ryuko--"

"Contact," she echoed him from earlier, cutting him off abruptly. "And besides, you needed a bath too. You were starting to stink." His eye narrowed at her remark. It's not like he could be aware of that!

"Wearing clothes in the water is uncomfortable, but I don't mind sharing the bath with you," she continued, her cheek pressing to him as she continued scrubbing lightly. Senketsu, still tense from being suddenly tugged into the bath, began to relax as she worked the fibers of his form. It had been a long while since he'd received a cleaning, and it always used to be at the rough mercies of Mrs. Mankanshoku and her metal washboard. Ryuko, in comparison, was rather… gentle. It was comforting; almost enjoyable.

Ryuko grinned a little as she felt the uniform become putty in her hands, his eye closing as the fabric came to rest against her body. Her eyes closed as well, leaning against the side of the tub and resting her head back along the edge once more. Her breathing eased into a steady, deep rhythm, as her fingers kept idly running along the sleeves and body of her uniform. The ministrations of her hands could hardly be considered scrubbing anymore; moreso reminders to each of them that they were together in this moment, and it wasn't a figment of her imagination.

The two sat in a comfortable, relaxed silence for what felt like hours, but in reality was only about twenty minutes. Senketsu opened his eye and looked up at Ryuko, noticing she had a single eye cracked, looking up at a few particular stars in the night sky. He hesitated for a moment before pulling away from her and gripping onto the opposite side of the tub.

"Somethin' wrong, Senketsu?" She asked, raising her head to look at him.

"The water's starting to get cold," he murmured. "You should get out before you become sick."

Ryuko's only response was a little smile accompanied by an eyeroll. Using her arms to lift herself from the bath, she exited and grabbed her nearby towel, starting to dry herself off; she wrapped the towel around her torso once she was finished. Senketsu also made his way out of the tub, albeit with some difficulty due to the weight of the water. He shook himself to try and get rid of the bulk of it, taking care not to dirty himself on the grass too much. He let out a slight yelp of protest as Ryuko picked him up rather suddenly by the collar, giving him another rough shake and flap in the air. His eye narrowed.

"Curse this form," he grumbled, sleeves folding grumpily. He didn't particularly enjoy being handled by Ryuko in this way, though she certainly did, judging by the smile on her face.

"It's not all that bad," Ryuko replied, carrying him into the home and shutting the door behind them. "At least you can enjoy the warmth of a clothes iron without getting burned."

Senketsu's ear-like lapels perked up at the mention of the iron. "This is true," he conceded, as his wearer made her way into her room and gently laid him on a side table. He watched as she shed her towel and donned a pair of underwear, grabbing the clothes iron from her closet afterwards. "As nice as the iron is, I feel the cons outweigh the pros."

"What do you mean by that?" Ryuko asked, plugging in the iron and resting it next to him as she took a seat, waiting for it to warm up.

"While there's some things I can only do like this," he gestured to himself with a sleeve, "there are a great many more things I could do with a body… more similar to your own."

An eyebrow raised, she looked down at the uniform, a hand resting on the handle of the iron as it warmed. "Like what?" Her curiosity was piqued.

"I could eat for one," he said plainly. "Instead of observing salt content and other such details through your blood, I could actually taste and smell foods like Mrs. Mankanshoku's croquettes."

Chuckling softly, Ryuko moved the iron onto the uniform gently, his eye closing with a happy sigh as the warmth pressed into him and evaporated the water from his fibers with a puff of steam. "That's true," she replied, moving the iron slowly and softly. "You don't really think about eating much when you do it every day."

"I'd imagine so," he muttered, eye opening just slightly to look at her. "Speaking of, your weight has increased and your BMI has changed quite a bit since--"

Scowling, Ryuko roughly shoved the pointed tip of the hot iron into the uniform, interrupting his statement and causing him to let out a pained yell. "What did I tell you about measuring that?" she growled.

"I can't help it!" he cried out, his now-widened eye tearing up slightly as she lifted the iron from him once more. "It's just one of many ways I'm trained to keep you healthy and safe," he mumbled, accompanied by a pained whimper. His eye glanced to the spot where she had stabbed him with the iron, relieved to see it didn't leave a burn mark.

Her glare softened and she scoffed, resuming her ironing more gently. "I know," she grumbled. "Still annoying as hell."

Silence followed as she continued drying his fabric with the iron, his pained look returning to one of relaxation after being reassured she wouldn't prod him again.

"Is eating really the only thing you'd want a body for?" she asked, chuckling again at the thought.

"No," he muttered, "I think sleeping would be rather enjoyable as well." Ryuko stifled a laugh and he glared at her. "It's not something I've thought about that much!" he exclaimed defensively, causing her laugh to escape completely.

He sustained his glare as she laughed and wiped a tear from her eye before resuming her ironing, almost finished drying him out. "Eating and sleeping," she said with a smile, carefully bringing the iron to the back of his lapels. "Sounds like a fulfilling life."

Senketsu's gaze softened as he watched her work, appreciating the thorough attention to detail. He felt his fibers relax and be rid of any water that may have been trapped between them. Looking up at her, he continued, "Being able to hold you would be a welcome change as well."

Ryuko stopped, her eyes widening and blinking as she looked down into his eye. She could feel warmth invading her cheeks, and she wasn't sure it was the steam from ironing this time. "What?" she said, wondering if she had heard him correctly.

"I'd like to hold you," he repeated softly. "Like the way Satsuki and Mako hug you, either as a greeting or to comfort you when you're upset. I'd like to be able to do that as well." He waved a sleeve slightly. "I can do it like this, sort of. But I don't feel like it has the same effect. Being worn by you is the closest I can get, but I have a feeling it's not the same either. I want to be closer."

The warm feeling spreading across her face was definitely not a result of her ironing. Clearing her throat lightly, she switched the iron off and set it aside to allow it time to cool down. "Why is that?" she asked, unsure of what to say in response. It felt like her mind was on autopilot all of a sudden, and she didn't even know where it was going with this.

His lapels twitched again, sitting up and looking at the clothes iron before looking back at her, mildly confused. "It's how friends comfort one another, yes? That's what I gathered," he said softly, trailing off a bit. Was he mistaken?

"No, yeah, you're right," Ryuko said hurriedly, fiddling with the iron slightly before unplugging it once more. _Friends. Of course._ His wording had been catching her off guard lately. Stupid uniform. Honestly, where the hell were her thoughts even going with that one?

Senketsu's eye narrowed. Ryuko's reaction was odd and unexpected, and he was worried he may have hurt or offended her somehow. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," she said, standing from her seat and looking toward her bed. A hand ran through her hair as she sighed. "Just feeling tired is all." She felt fabric brush against her hand again and looked down to see Senketsu's sleeve pressed to her as he looked up at her, eye filled with a mixture of concern, worry, and… something else? _Stop that._

"Is it alright if I ask to be worn by you overnight?" he said softly, still wanting to sort out and correct his feelings of weakness since being brought back. He was still unsure as to the cause, but knew that sustained contact with his wearer helped to lessen those feelings. It may not have been a "cure", but it would at least help in the moment.

Ryuko laughed quietly, surprised by his sudden gentleness and concern. "Yeah, that's fine," she replied, picking him up and slipping him onto her body with care. A slight pinch occurred at her wrist upon donning the Seki Tekko, making her flinch slightly. Warm and snug from his ironing, he was rather comfortable. She climbed into her bed and flopped onto her back, taking a deep breath. Her racing thoughts began to slow once more and she was able to relax. Staring up at the dark ceiling, distant crickets sounded off outside, the inside of the house rather silent otherwise.

"Thank you, Ryuko," Senketsu said softly, his blood draw from her wrist minimal, just enough to keep him "awake" for the next day. He began to monitor her heart rate and other vitals once more, relieved to find she was doing better than the previous nights. The rapid heart rate upon first being put on minutes prior, paired with her earlier behavior, was mildly concerning. He decided to keep a close watch through the night, just in case.

"You don't have to thank me," she replied, pressing a hand to her chest, just below his eye. Her eyes were closed now; the warmth of her clothing and the quietness of her room began to lull her to sleep.

"Yes I do," he responded softly. His form pulled just the slightest bit tighter around her body. "You saved me."

"That's what friends do," she mumbled, her replies growing quieter and less filtered as she started to drift further and further into a state of sleep. "I needed you."

"But why?" Senketsu asked of his increasingly less-lucid wearer. He wasn't really expecting answers, and was mostly just trying to keep Ryuko relaxed with idle conversation; her heart rate was steadily slowing to her usual sleeping rate. _Good._

"Cuz I love you, Senketsu."

**Author's Note:**

> *quietly plugs my KLK spotify playlists here*
> 
> Ryuketsu: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1YfL19mmDxvTXmmzaBrThU?si=0oJMNnA6SaiO3j7Rlkfb3g  
> Ryuko: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4TAgsgq0SV0c19cyBvyDLo?si=EQL4-_Q9QxmcGrk7p-g0ew
> 
> thank you for the kind comments so far ; ; I really appreciate them. sorry I'm bad at replying aaaaa


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